This is a guide for completing the Grand Slam minigame in Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition.

The Grand Slam minigame is a tournament where you fight a team of monsters using your own team of monsters.

How to Unlock the Grand Slam Minigame¶

You can access the Grand Slam minigame after reaching the S.S. Zelbess in Home World. This will be shortly after the events of Fort Dragonia, where you get stranded in Home World as Lynx.

First, you’ll need to trigger the encounter with Irenes in Marbule. Afterwards, you need to go through the S.S. Zelbess until just before the boss fight with the Sage. On the lower floor of the ship, past the crewman towards the far left, there’s a ladder to go down to the Grand Slam area.

Once you’re in, head anti-clockwise around the arena exterior, towards the top-right corner. There, you can participate in the Grand Slam.

How the Grand Slam Minigame Works¶

In Grand Slam, both sides will choose 3 monsters to fight with. If you win, you can continue to the second round, then the third–and final–round. Each round, you must choose different monsters, so you’ll end up using 9 at most.

When fighting with your monsters, they function just like your regular characters. So they have standard attacks, Elemental Power Levels, Element Grids and so forth. The main difference is that the monsters’ hit rate is much higher, so you can often use Fierce attacks from the get-go.

After winning the third round, you’ll complete the Grand Slam. The previous champion of the Grand Slam, Janice, will then ask to join you. Either way, you cannot re-enter the Grand Slam, since there’s nobody strong enough to fight you.

How to Get More Monsters for Grand Slam¶

The monsters you can choose from are the same monsters used for Sprigg’s Doppelgang ability.

If you weren’t aware, you can obtain new Doppelgang monsters by finishing off monsters using Sprigg (in her normal form, not monster form). Or with a character with the Forget-me-not Pot equipped.

Recommended Monsters for Grand Slam¶

You can actually win the Grand Slam just using the default monsters. That said, you can make things easier for yourself by grabbing additional monsters.

Here are some top picks you can obtain right now or soon:

• Taurminator: A fiery bull encountered in Mount Pyre in Home World.
• Cybot: A yellow, clunking robot found in Fort Dragonia in Home World.
• Puffy: A spiky fish swimming underwater in the El Nido Triangle in Home World.
• Wight Knight: A deathly knight slumbering in the Isle of the Damned in Home World.

Best Strategy to Win the Grand Slam¶

Round 1¶

Keep the Wraith. The other two monsters (Beach Bum and Komodo Pup) are trash. If you grabbed the recommended monsters, swap one of those two with the Lagoonate. Otherwise, replace one of them with a Snib/Snob Goblin.

You’ll face a Taurminator, Beeba and Gloop. The toughest foe here is the Taurminator by far. If you brought the Lagoonate, however, it can solo the fight. Otherwise, attack with the Wraith to build up your Elemental Power Level, then use Hellbound+2 to try and OHKO the Taurminator. If you fail (or the Wraith dies), Run Away and try again.

Once the Taurminator is down, the rest of the fight should be easy. The Wraith’s standard attacks should deal decent damage and you can try using HellSoul to OHKO the remaining foes. If the Wraith falls because they were hurt by the Taurminator earlier, that’s where your backup comes in.

For winning, you’ll receive a Stamina Belt.

Round 2¶

This is the hardest round, so bring out your big guns. If you snagged the Wight Knight, absolutely use it here. Otherwise, you can slot in a Cybot and/or Puffy. If you’re using the default monsters, you need the Lagoonate, plus something relatively bulky–perhaps the Cat Burglar or the goblin(s) you didn’t choose earlier.

Your foes include a Cybot, Spearfisher and Gobledygook. The Cybot will be your archnemesis. Unleash Fierce attacks with your strongest monster–your Wight Knight or Lagoonate for instance–until it keels over. Beware of its Beaten Earth, which deals helluva damage.

After the Cybot falls, the fight will become easier. Although it can be tough if your main monster was hit by Beaten Earth. If you’re running default monsters only, this round can be extremely close. Don’t forget to use the Lagoonate’s Just4Kicks Tech in a pinch.

For winning, you’ll receive a Resistance Belt.

Round 3¶

For the last round, send in your best monsters that remain. The Taurminator is great here. If you’re sticking with the default crew, you want the Total Chaos and Crossbones. The third slot doesn’t matter too much, since you probably don’t have much left.

This is probably the easiest of the three rounds, since you don’t have an overpowered enemy to deal with. If using the Taurminator, go crazy. Run over your foes with Fierce attacks and Charge straight at them.

Meanwhile, if going along the minimal route, build up your Total Chaos’s Elemental Power Level, then unleash a Black Hole on the unsuspecting enemy team. This should deal massive damage, potentially wiping two of them out. From here, it should be smooth sailing!

Upon winning, you’ll receive the Dreamer’s Bandana. Plus the chance to recruit Janice. Double win!